The Asia Society was founded in New York on June 28, 1956, with a mission to build bridges of understanding between the peoples of Asia and the United States, and to use culture and policy as the primary tools for its bridge-building. It was a mission born of John D. Rockefeller 3rd’s profound impression — after repeated trips to Asia in the 1940s and 1950s — that Americans understood poorly the cultures of those nations and peoples he had come to know. This year we celebrate the many ways Asia Society has executed that mission over the past six decades, from Mr. Rockefeller’s early stewardship of the institution to its global expansion, from its impactful policy work to inspiring exhibitions and performances, and from Asian and American leaders who have graced the Asia Society stage.